Air conditioned seat



June 16, 1964 F. KARNER AIR CONDITIONED SEAT Original Filed May 19, 1960226/; BY @W @7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 1960. This applicationSept. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 310,501 Claims. (Cl. 297-180) This inventionrelates to an air conditioning system and more particularly to an airconditioning system for a vehicle seat.

Heretofore, systems have been employed which introduced conditioned air,either heated or cooled, to a region beneath the seat. In such a system,conventional padding and fabric was employed in the seats and thus theair was required to escape by passing through the relatively thickpaddings and coverings. This system exhibited numerous disadvantages.For example, relatively little of the air escaped through the fabricwhere the fabric contacted the occupant. Accordingly, insufficient airpassed through the fabric adequately to heat or cool the body portionsin contact with the seats. I have discovered an improved system in whichthe above disadvantages may be obviated.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedair conditioning system for a vehicle seat.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved seatstructure to be used in combination with an air conditioning system.

It is another object of this invention to provide an air conditionedseat which may be assembled by an unskilled person after the car ismanufactured.

Briey, in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of this invention,conditioned air is introduced into a novel seat structure in whichpockets are formed integrally with the seats and which permits theescape of the conditioned air only at the forward and vertical surfacesof the seat. The seat structure includes a separate upper back memberand a lower seating member, either or both of which may be provided witha pocket and conditioned air is introduced into the pocket for heatingor cooling the occupant of the seat. The surfaces of the seat areimpervious to air, except the portion which overlies the pocket and aporous covering extends over the pocket, with air permeable paddingincorporated in the pocket which is sufficiently porous to diffuse theow of air as it passes out of the pocket through the covering.Advantageously, escape of conditioned air is provided for by covering,such as fabric, plastic or leather, with relatively large aperturestherein. This covering may be formed with grooves on the outerperiphery, and these grooves communicate with punched holes in thesurface of the material such that the punched holes permit the escape ofconditioned air from the portions of the seat only adjacent the body ofthe occupant and this conditioned air passes through the numerousditches to make contact with the occupant of the seat. Preferably, widemesh fabric is used only at the points which contact the occupants, theremaining portions being impervious to air. With such a system, theoccupant experiences conditioned air about the portions of the bodywhich make contact with the seat, regardless of the temperature of thearnbient air. It is essential to the operation of such a system that airdoes not escape from the rear portions of the seat, by that is meant,the back surface of the seat, or in any region not contacted by the bodyof the person occupying the seat.

In accordance with another illustrative embodiment of this invention, aseat covering for use with an air conditioning system is provided in theform of an airtight pocket with the exception of one surface. Theforward,

or top portion, of the pocket is provided with relatively large meshfabric to permit the escape of conditioned air only Where the coveringis contacted by the body of the occupant. The pocket is filled withmaterial having a high degree of voids, for example, rubberized curledhair. Advantageously, this pocket may be provided with :a separatorbetween the intake port for the conditioned air and the perforatedsurface. The separator provides for uniform distribution for theconditioned air throughout the pocket. Advantageously, these pockets maybe employed on the front surface of the seat back and the horizontalsurface of the seat. It is, of course, not necessary that both membersbe employed since either of these pockets may be suicient to produce thedesired conditioning.

It is, of course, understood that these pockets may be built into theseats or provided as a separate part which may be used over the seatcover or formed integrally with a seat cover which is applied to theseat by the user.

In accordance with each of these illustrative embodiments, the paddingfor the seats in the iirst embodiment and in the pocket is preferably ofmaterial having wide air passages therethrough. For example, the paddingmay be formed of rubberized, curled hair.

These and various other objects and features of the invention will bemore clearly understood from a reading of the detailed description ofthe'invention in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a view in plan of a seat employing one illustrative embodimentof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. l taken along the lines2 2 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are plan and section views, respectively, of portions ofthe embodiment of FIGS. l and 2 to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a View in plan, partly in section, of another illustrativeembodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation taken along the lines Sf-S of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. l, there is depicted in plan a vehicle seat 10 andan inlet conduit 12 for the introduction of conditioned air within thepocket which is integral with the seat. The seat 10 is comprised of anupper back member 14 and a lower seat member 16. Advantageously, theconduit 12 is provided with a pair of outlets 18 and 20 whichcommunicate with the pockets of the upper and lower seat members,respectively. The circulation of the conditioned air in the respectiveupper and lower members is in accordance and in direction of the arrows24 and 26, respectively. It is essential to the proper operation of thisdevice that adequate passages be provided on the upper surface 30 of thelower member and the forward surface 2S of the upper member 14.

The details of one form of the covering material are shown in FIGS. 3Aand 3B. As b est seen in FIG. 3B, the material is provided withangularly disposed grooves 32 having numerous punched holes or apertures34 therein. The conditioned air passes through the padding material 35which has a high percentage of voids, through the holes or apertures 34into the grooves' 32. Preferably, the grooves are formed in groups withone group angularly disposed relative to the other group. As illustratedin FIG. 3A, the grooves are depicted as including two groups disposed atright angles to each other the aper-V tures 34 being positioned at theintersection of the groups of grooves. Although it is not essential thatthis speciiic form of surface material be employed, it is essential thatthe material employed may have large passages therein at the respectivesurfaces 30 and 28, While the remaining surfaces must be airtight. Forexample, the loss of air from the rear of the upper member 14 wouldsubstantially destroy the usefulness lof the air conditioned upper Emember E14. In other words, the pressure of the occupant would besuicient to prevent the passage of air through the seat in the area ofthe occupant. Similarly, any loss of conditioned air from the lowermember 16, for example, through the rearward surface thereof, woulddestroy the usefulness of the air conditioning of the lower member i6.

Advantageously, the inlet pipe 12 may have a butterfly Valve 36 therein,and the inlet pipe l2 may communicate with a first pipe 38 and a secondpipe or conduit 40. One of these conduits, for example, 33, communicateswith the air conditioning system which either heats or cools the air inaccordance with the setting of suitable controls (not shown), while theconduit tti communicates with an air intake which is vented, preferablyforwardly, to the exterior of the vehicle. Thus, it is possible, byselectively controlling the position of the butterfly valve 36, tocontrol the admission and balance between heated or cooled air and airvented from the exterior of the car. Valve 36 may vary in positionaccording to the balance of air pressure from the two intakes 33 and 4t)which have individual control valves (not shown).

The second illustrative embodiment of this invention is depicted inFIGS. 4 and 5 in plan and elevation, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, apair of pockets 50 and 52 are positioned on the exterior surfaces of theupper back member 54 and the lower or seating member 56, respectively.As depicted in FIG. 4, these pockets are formed integrally with the seatcovers S and are provided with suitable apertures 60 and 62,respectively. The details of these pockets are best seen in FIG. 5. Astherein depicted, the Vpocket 50 includes a first surface 64 which isimpervious to air, a second surface 66 which is formed integrally withseat cover S8 and has numerous perforations 60 therein. Between thesurfaces 64 and 66, a separator 76 is provided which is perforated toprovide for a uniform distribution of conditioned air about the pocket50 to facilitate the distribution of air throughout the forward and rearportions of the pocket 50. These portions of the pocket are preferablyfilled with a material having large air passages therethrough, forexample, rubberized, curled hair. This material is also advantageouslyemployed as the padding for the upper and lower member 14 and 16 of theembodiment of FIGS. l through 3. The lower member 56 of the seat,depicted in FIG. 5, is provided with a pocket 52 which is formedintegrally with the surface of the lower member 56. The construction ofthe pocket 52 is substantially identical with that of the pocket S0.Advantageously, the conduit 72 communicates about the heating andcooling system through one branch of the Y 74 and communicates with theambient air through the other branch of the Y 76. Also, advantageously,the pipe or conduit 72 is provided with a suitable selection valve '78,such as a butterfly valve, suitably to control the air admitted to thepockets 50 and 52. The pipe 72 communicates with the pockets 50 and 52through suitable conduits 80 and 82, which conduits may be formed of airimpervious exible material, such as neoprene.

Although the pockets Sti and 52 have been described as being formedintegrally with the seat covers such that they may be installed by thevehicle user merely by slipping the seat members covers over the seatsin a wellknown manner, these pockets may be formed as separate unitswhich may be secured to the seat members by the user. Also,advantageously, the pockets 50 and 52 may be formed as separatedcushions with suitable stiffening material to support the pockets, suchthat these members may be placed in position and removed Without regardto the usual seat covers.

While I have shown and described two illustrative embodiments of thisinvention, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the artthat the features thereof may be employed in other embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention, as set forth in the claimsThis is a continuation of my application Serial No. 30,220, filed May19, 1960, which is a continuation-inpart of my application Serial No.840,476, filed September 16, 1959.

I claim:

1. An air-conditioned seat comprising an upper vertical member and alower horizontal member, a covering for said upper vertical and saidlower horizontal members, pockets formed integrally in said uppervertical and lower horizontal members by said covering, angularlydisposed raised portions formed on the outer side of said pocketsadjacent the body of an occupant of said seat, practicallynon-deformable grooves formed in said covering between said raisedportions, apertures from the said grooves to the interior of saidpockets, a portion of the covering for the under part of said lowerhorizontal member being impervious and a portion of the covering for therear side of said upper vertical member being impervious, a separatorwithin said pockets, spaced apertures in said separator, the spacebetween the said separator and the angular raised portions of saidcovering being lled with a material having a high percentage of voids,and means for feeding conditioned air into said pockets.

2. An air conditioned seat comprising at least one member positioned toregister with substantially the entire body area of at least the seat ofa person in sitting position but not to the extent signicantly beyondthe body area, a covering for said member, a pocket formed integrally insaid member by said covering, angularly disposed raised portions formedon the outer side of said pocket adjacent the body of an occupant ofsaid seat, practically non-deformable grooves formed in said coveringbetween said raised portions, apertures from the said grooves to theinterior of said pockets, a portion of the covering for the under partof said member being impervious, a separator within said pockets, spacedapertures in said separator, the space between the said separator andthe angular raised portions of said covering being filled with amaterial having a high percentage of voids, and means for feedingconditioned air into said pockets.

3. An air conditioned body support comprising means forming a supportsurface, said surface including flexible sheet material, said materialhaving at least one groove in one side thereof, means forming a chamberon the opposite side of said material, said material having aperturestherein, at least oneof said apertures being aligned with said grooveair diffusing padding having a high percentage of voids in the chamber,and, means for supplying conditioned air to said chamber, wherebyconditioned air in said chamber flows through the padding `and theapertures and along said groove.

4. An air conditioned support as defined in claim 3 wherein said supportsurface includes at least one of a seat support surface and a backsupport surface.

5. An air conditioned support as defined in claim 3 wherein -saidchamber has impervious walls and at least one opening therein adjacentsaid material.

6. An air conditioned support as deiined in claim 3 wherein said meansfor supplying conditioned air includes a butterfly valve for selectivelydirecting air from a plurality of sources.

7. An air conditioned support as dened in claim 4 wherein said chamberhas impervious walls and at least one opening therein adjacent saidmaterial, said opening being smaller than said support surfaces wherebythe body of an occupant covers the opening.

8. An air conditioned body support as defined in claim 3 having meansfor mounting on a vehicle seat.

9. An air conditioned seat comprising means forming a seat supportsurface and a back support surface, at least one of said surfacesincluding exible sheet material, said material having a plurality ofgrooves in one side thereof, means forming a chamber on the oppositeside of said material, and said material having apertures therein, atleast one of said apertures being aligned with one of said grooves, saidchamber having impervious walls and an opening adjacent said material,ller having a high percentage of voids, said ller being contained withinthe chamber, a separator having perforations therein, means mountingsaid separator Within the chamber for uniform distribution of air, andmeans for supplying conditioned air to said chamber.

10. An air conditioned seat comprising means forming a seat supportsurface and a back support surface, at least one of said surfacesincluding exible sheet material, said material having a plurality ofgrooves in one side thereof, means forming a chamber on the oppositeside of said material, and said material having apertures therein, saidapertures being aligned with said grooves, said chamber havingimpervious walls and an opening adjacent `said material adjacent to theoccupant of the seat, a separator, ller having a high percentage ofvoids, said filler being contained within the chamber, said separatorhaving perforations therein for uniform distribution of conditioned air,means for supplying conditioned air to said chamber, and valve means fordirecting air selectively from a plurality of -sources to said supplymeans.

11. An air conditioned seat comprising at least one of an upper backmember and a lower seating member, said member having a body contactsurface and provided with at least one pocket, means for introducingconditioned air into said pocket, the surfaces of the pocket beingimpervious to air except for the body contact surface, padding materialwithin the pocket, said padding material having a high percentage ofvoids to permit passage of introduced air therethrough to said bodycontact surface and a covering separate from said padding, said coveringextending over said body contact surface and having therein apertures topermit the exhaust of air from the pocket and having at least one groovetherein on the side opposite said pocket, at least one of said aperturesbeing aligned with said groove.

12. An air conditioned seat as defined in claim 11 wherein saidapertures are positioned in a portion of said covering, therebypreventing the escape of conditioned air in areas remote from the bodycontact area.

13. An air conditioned seat as delined in claim 11 wherein said pockethas a separator therein, said separator having said padding material onopposite sides thereof and having a plurality of apertures therethroughwhereby air is uniformly distributed to said apertures.

14. An air conditioned seat as defined in claim 11 wherein said meansfor introducing conditioned air includes a buttery valve for directingair -selectively from a plurality of sources.

15. In a vehicle, occupant support means comprising means forming asupport surface, said surface including flexible sheet material, saidmaterial having at least one groove in one side thereof, means forming achamber on the opposite side of said material, said material havingapertures therein, at least one of said apertures being aligned withsaid groove air dilusing padding having a high percentage of voids inthe chamber, and, means for supplying conditioned air to said chamber,whereby conditioned air in ysaid chamber flows through the padding andthe apertures and along said groove.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,281Bray Dec. 4, 1906 859,828 McCloud July 9, 1907 1,314,791 Dudley Sept. 2,1919 1,317,275 Dudley Sept. 30, 1919 1,568,471 Roemer Ian. 5, 19261,754,665 Anthony Apr, 15, 1930 1,854,163 Paesler Apr. 12, 19321,903,037 Fraver Mar. 28, 1933 2,022,959 Gordon Dec. 3, 1935 2,782,834Vigo Feb. 26, 1957 2,826,135 Benzick Mar. 11, 1958 2,912,832 Clark Nov.17, 1959 2,978,972 Hake Apr. 11, 1961 3,014,226 Wilfert Dec. 26, 1961FOREIGN PATENTS 271,598 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1951 UNITED' STATES PATENTOFFICE CORRECTION I] Pat-ent NOI 3l37523 June 16,1 1964 Frank Karner Itis hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 3Y lines 2l and 22 fora "intakes" read intake pipes line 64,strike out "the seat members Cot/elfl over the seats" and insert insteadthe seat covers over the seat members Signed and sealedthis 17th day ofNovember 1964?" (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W6 SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. AN AIR-CONDITIONED SEAT COMPRISING AN UPPER VERTICAL MEMBER AND ALOWER HORIZONTAL MEMBER, A COVERING FOR SAID UPPER VERTICAL AND SAIDLOWER HORIZONTAL MEMBERS, POCKETS FORMED INTEGRALLY IN SAID UPPERVERTICAL AND LOWER HORIZONTAL MEMBERS BY SAID COVERING, ANGULARLYDISPOSED RAISED PORTIONS FORMED ON THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID POCKETSADJACENT THE BODY OF AN OCCUPANT OF SAID SEAT, PRACTICALLYNON-DEFORMABLE GROOVES FORMED IN SAID COVERING BETWEEN SAID RAISEDPORTIONS, APERTURES FROM THE SAID GROOVES TO THE INTERIOR OF SAIDPOCKETS, A PORTION OF THE COVERING FOR THE UNDER PART OF SAID LOWERHORIZONTAL MEMBER BEING IMPERVIOUS AND A PORTION OF THE COVERING FOR THEREAR SIDE OF SAID UPPER VERTICAL MEMBER BEING IMPERVIOUS, A SEPARATORWITHIN SAID POCKETS, SPACED APERTURES IN SAID SEPARATOR, THE SPACEBETWEEN THE SAID SEPARATOR AND THE ANGULAR RAISED PORTIONS OF SAIDCOVERING BEING FILLED WITH A MATERIAL HAVING A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF VOIDS,AND MEANS FOR FEEDING CONDITIONED AIR INTO SAID POCKETS.